Judges 5:21
"The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

The river of Kishon swept them away,.... To which Sisera's army was drawn, and where it was discomfited; and very probably many of them, in their confusion, endeavoured to make their escape by fording or swimming over the river, by which they were swept away and drowned, the waters of it at this time swelling in a miraculous manner, as Ben Gersom thinks; or were increased by the large showers of rain that fell, as some note from Josephus, though I find it not in him; however it is not improbable it

might be the case; for our countryman Mr. Maundrell (l) thus observed when he was at it;"in the condition we saw it, its waters were low and inconsiderable; but passing along the side of the plain, we discovered the track of many lesser torrents falling down into it from the mountains, which must needs make it swell exceedingly upon sudden rains, as doubtless it actually did at the destruction of Sisera's host, Jdg 5:21 " that ancient river, the river Kishon; called ancient, either because it was from the beginning of the creation, and not cut by the art of men, as some rivers are; or because it was spoken of by poets and historians in ancient times; or because of famous exploits done here of old; so the Targum,"the river where signs and mighty works were done for Israel of old.''Some take the word Kedumim to be another name of the river, so called from its windings and turnings, and, as it were, meeting itself. So some travellers tell us (m) the river Kedumim, the same with Kishon, is so called, because it meets itself, being by its meanders formed like a sling or noose, as Kishon signifies; it rises at Mount Tabor, and discharges itself into the Mediterranean sea, at the foot of Mount Carmel; so Hillerus (n) says, Kishon signifies bending in manner of a snare, or net, or meander, and takes it to be the same with the Pagida of Pliny (o), which in the Greek tongue signifies the same: O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength; a strong and mighty army, through her prayers and supplication, advice and direction; or thou hast trodden with strength, that is, the river Kishon, as some Jewish interpreters understand it, who suppose that another miracle was wrought; that as the waters of the river swelled when the Canaanites attempted to escape over it, so it sunk and became fordable for Deborah and the Israelites; a miracle, as they suppose, somewhat similar to that at the Red sea. (l) Journey from Aleppo, &c. p. 57. (m) Egmont and Heyman's Travels, par. 2. p. 2. (n) Onomastic. Sacr. p. 186, 405, 865. (o) Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 19.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (10 words)

H5158 נַחַל
Definition:

Or (feminine) nachlah (Psalm 124:4) {nakh'-law}; or nachalah (Ezekiel 47:19; 48:28) {nakh-al-aw'}; fromnachalin its original sense; a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) v Or (feminine) nachlah (Psalm 124:4) {nakh'-law}; or nachalah (Ezekiel 47:19; 48:28) {nakh-al-aw'}; fromnachalin its original sense; a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) v

Possible Meanings:
  • palm-tree (semantic_range)
H7028 קִישׁוֹן
Definition:

7,13;Judges 5:21(twice in verse);Psalm 83:10, also1 Kings 18:40; modernNahrel-Mu‡a‰‰a±; see BuhlGeogr. 106, 209, GASmGeogr.382.קִישִׁיseeקוּשְׁיָהוּbelowקושׁקַל,קֹלseeקלל. (קֹלvoice, seeקול.Topical Le 7,13;Judges 5:21(twice in verse);Psalm 83:10, also1 Kings 18:40; modernNahrel-Mu‡a‰‰a±; see BuhlGeogr. 106, 209, GASmGeogr.382.קִישִׁיseeקוּשְׁיָהוּbelowקושׁקַל,קֹלseeקלל. (קֹלvoice, seeקול.Topical Le

H1640 גָּרַף
Definition:

21.Topical LexiconMeaning and ImageryThe verb paints the picture of a sudden, forceful rush that drags everything before it, like debris caught in a flash flood. InJudges 5:21it describes how “The Riv 21.Topical LexiconMeaning and ImageryThe verb paints the picture of a sudden, forceful rush that drags everything before it, like debris caught in a flash flood. InJudges 5:21it describes how “The Riv

Possible Meanings:
  • sweep away (semantic_range)
H5158 נַחַל
Definition:

Or (feminine) nachlah (Psalm 124:4) {nakh'-law}; or nachalah (Ezekiel 47:19; 48:28) {nakh-al-aw'}; fromnachalin its original sense; a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) v Or (feminine) nachlah (Psalm 124:4) {nakh'-law}; or nachalah (Ezekiel 47:19; 48:28) {nakh-al-aw'}; fromnachalin its original sense; a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) v

Possible Meanings:
  • palm-tree (semantic_range)
H6917 קָדוּם
Definition:

21, meaning dubious;ᵐ5Aproper nameΚαδησειμ,ᵐ5LΚαδημειμ;ᵐ5Bἀρχαίων,soᵑ7, AVancientriver (literallyof antiquity), Bachm and others; Be and othersof attack(compareקָדַם1a); see further GFM Bu Now CookEnc 21, meaning dubious;ᵐ5Aproper nameΚαδησειμ,ᵐ5LΚαδημειμ;ᵐ5Bἀρχαίων,soᵑ7, AVancientriver (literallyof antiquity), Bachm and others; Be and othersof attack(compareקָדַם1a); see further GFM Bu Now CookEnc

H5158 נַחַל
Definition:

Or (feminine) nachlah (Psalm 124:4) {nakh'-law}; or nachalah (Ezekiel 47:19; 48:28) {nakh-al-aw'}; fromnachalin its original sense; a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) v Or (feminine) nachlah (Psalm 124:4) {nakh'-law}; or nachalah (Ezekiel 47:19; 48:28) {nakh-al-aw'}; fromnachalin its original sense; a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) v

Possible Meanings:
  • palm-tree (semantic_range)
H7028 קִישׁוֹן
Definition:

7,13;Judges 5:21(twice in verse);Psalm 83:10, also1 Kings 18:40; modernNahrel-Mu‡a‰‰a±; see BuhlGeogr. 106, 209, GASmGeogr.382.קִישִׁיseeקוּשְׁיָהוּbelowקושׁקַל,קֹלseeקלל. (קֹלvoice, seeקול.Topical Le 7,13;Judges 5:21(twice in verse);Psalm 83:10, also1 Kings 18:40; modernNahrel-Mu‡a‰‰a±; see BuhlGeogr. 106, 209, GASmGeogr.382.קִישִׁיseeקוּשְׁיָהוּbelowקושׁקַל,קֹלseeקלל. (קֹלvoice, seeקול.Topical Le

H1869 דָּרַךְ
Definition:

176t.; 3 feminine singularדָּֽרְכָהJoshua 14:9; 2masculine singularדָּרַכְתָּHabakkuk 3:15; 1singularדָּרַכְתִּיIsaiah 63:3;Zechariah 9:13; pluralדָּֽרְכוּJob 22:153t.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִדְ 176t.; 3 feminine singularדָּֽרְכָהJoshua 14:9; 2masculine singularדָּרַכְתָּHabakkuk 3:15; 1singularדָּרַכְתִּיIsaiah 63:3;Zechariah 9:13; pluralדָּֽרְכוּJob 22:153t.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִדְ

Possible Meanings:
  • way (semantic_range)
  • road (semantic_range)
  • distance (semantic_range)
  • journey (semantic_range)
  • manner (semantic_range)
H5315 נֶפֶשׁ
Definition:

6(so evenGenesis 2:19;Numbers 31:28;1 Kings 19:2see AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 42SS)soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion(Ecclus 3:18; 4:1 (twice in verse); Ecclesias 6(so evenGenesis 2:19;Numbers 31:28;1 Kings 19:2see AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 42SS)soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion(Ecclus 3:18; 4:1 (twice in verse); Ecclesias

Possible Meanings:
  • take breath (semantic_range)
  • refresh oneself (semantic_range)
  • take breath (semantic_range)
  • refresh oneself (semantic_range)
H5797 עֹז
Definition:

51+,עוֺזPsalm 84:6+,עָזֿIsaiah 26:1, onceעָ֑זGenesis 49:3; constructעֹזMicah 5:3+,עָזֿPsalm 28:8; suffixעָזִּיExodus 15:22t.,עֻזִּיPsalm 28:7+;עָזְּךָPsalm 21:22t.,עֻזְּךָPsalm 66:3+; suffix 1 pluralע 51+,עוֺזPsalm 84:6+,עָזֿIsaiah 26:1, onceעָ֑זGenesis 49:3; constructעֹזMicah 5:3+,עָזֿPsalm 28:8; suffixעָזִּיExodus 15:22t.,עֻזִּיPsalm 28:7+;עָזְּךָPsalm 21:22t.,עֻזְּךָPsalm 66:3+; suffix 1 pluralע

Possible Meanings:
  • she (semantic_range)
  • goat (semantic_range)

Interlinear data not available for this verse yet.

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